Policy Content Summary

A policy can be understood as a systematic response to a problem that exists within an organizational, operational, or strategic context.

A policy's content generally consists of three parts: problem definition; goals or objectives; and instruments or tools. Further explanation of a policy's content is as follows:

Problem Definition

• Summarily, a policy is a response to a problem and therefore arguably the most significant aspect of a policy's content is how it defines the relevant problem in question. It is important to recognize the vital significance of problem definition considering that how a policy's problem has been defined, will inevitably determine the effectiveness of the entire policy's process. Here, one may think of the concept of climate change or global warming as a problem that has varying interpretations and therefore often leaders conflicting policy responses that vary in effectiveness.

Goals or Objectives

• While goals and objectives might appear to be the most important aspect of a policy's content, one will observe that a problem's definition will determine how one perceives their goals and objectives. In other words, goals are objectives are directly related to a policy's definition of a problem. Subsequently, one's goals and objectives -- as the intended solution or response to the defined problem -- will be influenced by the problem's initial definition. In keeping with the climate change or global warming example, one observes that the objectives or goals in relation to the problem are entirely dependent on how one originally defined the problem.

Instruments or Tools

• The words instruments or tools are often discussed within the context of policy in terms of how the policy will respond to a defined problem. It is beneficial to think of policy instruments or tools as means of influencing or changing the behaviour of those affected by the problem in order to meet the desired goals or objectives; or, to affect the circumstances of the problem's environment to -- once again -- meet the intended goals or objectives. Continuing with the climate change or global warming example: carbon credits; penalties or reimbursements for recycling waste; consumer product incentives (such as electric vehicle rebates), are each examples of policy instruments or tools that intend to influence individuals and/or affect the circumstances of the defined problem's environment or system.

A Summary Explanation of the Policy Process

In addition to the policy content model, there is an additional model that is commonly referred to in the academic literature as the policy process. The policy process is often described as a fluid, cyclical modelthat consists of a number of steps that are summarily concerned with the execution of a policy. Given that the concept of the policy process is a theoretical, albeit cyclical model, there is no set agreed upon number of steps or phases to the model. Nevertheless, below are the five (5) steps that one will generally find discussed within the various theoretical approaches to the policy process model, although not worded identically.

Issue Identification

• Issue identification is another way of communicating problem definition and generally consists of the policy content's problem definition. However, given the fluid and cyclical nature of the policy process, an issue might be reidentified -- and therefore redefined -- during the evaluation phase of the policy process.

Environmental or Systematic Research

• Essential to any policy process is in depth reserach that analyzes all of the related environmental or systematic factors affecting the issue or problem that a policy seeks to resolve. Keeping in mind the fluid and cyclical nature of the policy process, one may observe that their identification of a policy's issue might change as a result of new items discovered and analyzed as a result of their research into the relevant environment or system affecting the policy's issue.

Proposal / Strategic Solution

• The proposal phase of the policy process conists of a strategic response to the policy's problem. In other words, the proposal is how the policy intends to respond to the identified issue or defined problem.

Implementation

• Following the identification of the issue, environmental and systematic research, and the strategic proposal, it is necessray to take the policy into action by attempting to directly respond to the identified issue and defined problem. Here is the implementation phase of the policy process and it consists of executing the policy in order to alleviate or altogether solve the identified issue and defined problem.

Evaluation

• The moment a policy has been implemented does not mean the policy process is finished. As noted above, the policy process is fluid and cyclical, therefore it will be necessary to revisit the policy during the implementation phase considering circumstances indeed change with time and as a consequence, policies will need to be reivsed or updated in order to effectively respond to changes within the environment or system relevant to the policy.

Once again it is essential to emphasize that the the policy process is fluid cyclical, which means that each of the above five (5) steps might be required or revisited a number of times, especially as a result of a policy's evaluation -- which one may argue is one of the most overlooked and underappreciated aspects of the policy process; or a policy in general.

The Social Enterprise Mission of TUHRN Policy Solutions Inc.

While TUHRN Policy Solutions Inc. has been incorporated as a Canadian Controlled Private Corporation (CCPC) that operates separate from the non-profit corporation The Unite Humanity Research Network (TUHRN), the Mission of TUHRN Policy Solutions is to function as a social enterprise that offers its strategic policy consultation and advisory service in accordance with the mission and mandate of the non-profit corporation, TUHRN.

Most importantly –- and in keeping with the mission and mandate of The Unite Humanity Research Network (TUHRN) –- since TUHRN Policy Solutions Inc. functions as a social enterprise, its fees will therefore be priced within an affordable and reasonable manner and a percentage of the excess revenue generated from the work of TUHRN Policy Solutions Inc. will be allotted with the non-profit corporatoin TURHN.